Southern Torit County Displacement and Service Access Brief Torit County, Eastern Equatoria State, South Sudan, November 2017 Background Map 1: Displacement in southern Torit County Major Town In response to reports of persistent needs and a growing population From Juba of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the mountain and valley Assessed Village areas of southern Torit County, REACH joined a Rapid Response Mission team constituted by the World Food Program (WFP) and the Torit United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in Gunyoro village, Ifwotu Payam. A concurrent screening and distribution took place in Iholong village, also in Ifwotu Payam, but was cut short due to nearby fighting. Gunyoro The assessment was conducted from 17-20 November and consisted of 4 KI interviews with community leaders, 2 gender-disaggregated Iholong Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with a total of 28 participants, continuous interaction with community members during aid provision, Magwi and general observation of the area by foot and helicopter. Findings should be considered as indicative only, and further verification via site visits should occur where possible. Population Movement and Displacement Torit and the foothills of the Imatong Mountains to its south have seen To Uganda fighting for decades. In the last few years, the population in the area via Nimule has been in flux, with frequent displacement inflows and outflows, and nearly continuous internal movements. Imatong Mountains Displacement into southern Torit County Road Displacement to southern Torit County has been occurring Displacement to the area continuously since 2013, with two large waves following conflict in the Displacement within the area last few years. The first, in June and July 2016, occurred in response Displacement out of the area Uganda to outbreaks of violence in most population centres across South Sudan. In total, 1,720 IDPs fled to Gunyoro and the surrounding area community has fled to temporary shelters in the surrounding Imatong from a wide variety of locations, especially Torit, Magwi, Juba and Mountains, often returning to the valley only for a few days at a time Malakal. In March through June 2017, fighting resumed in and around to cultivate or harvest. Torit, displacing people into other areas of Eastern Equatoria, Uganda Displacement out of southern Torit County and Kenya; this brought another wave of IDPs, of indeterminate size, to Gunyoro and across southern Torit County. In addition to these two Community leaders stated that approximately one third of the area’s large displacements, community leaders reported a continuous trickle population fled to Uganda in the last few years. Most were said to of IDPs arriving from Torit and Magwi, as people search for wild food have travelled through Nimule to Ugandan refugee camps. A small and land for cultivation. number were reported to have gone through Ikwotos and/or Chikudum to camps in Kenya. IDPs in Gunyoro indicated that they chose to move to the area because they were unable to afford transport to Uganda but could Many FGD participants reported that they would prefer to continue on walk to Gunyoro, which they perceived to be a relatively safe and to Uganda, or at least send their families to the refugee camps there, fertile area. Most travelled only with what they could carry. IDPs are primarily for education and health access. Money is reportedly the reportedly well integrated into the local community; they share shelter only barrier keeping them from travelling there. areas, land for cultivation and the limited food that is available. Access to Food and Humanitarian Services Displacement within southern Torit County Food Security and Livelihoods Approximately every month or two for the last year, fighting has extended into the valley, with reports of killing, sexual violence, Access to food and services in the area is limited, reportedly affecting robbery and the burning of tukuls of civilians. In response, much of the the IDPs and host community alike. Typically two cultivation periods are possible in the area, in March through June and June through Table 1: Estimated IDP count by payam September, but repeated conflict limited planting and destroyed Ifwotu 1,800 Iyire 3,114 harvests throughout 2017. Cultivation was further disrupted by heavy rains this year. Some planting is possible in the hillside refuges, but of Imurok 1,976 very small scale. Wild plants, especially wild yams, provide additional 1 Southern Torit County Displacement and Service Access Brief nutrition, but these become less available in the dry season. Table 2: Service access by population centre Southern Torit County has no markets, and access to the nearest Access to Access to Access to Access to market in Torit town is reportedly limited. Men cannot safely cross FSL WASH Health Education the checkpoints into town. Women and children are able to go, but Gunyoro to travel there and back takes most of the day from Gunyoro. These women often gather grass, firewood and wild greens along the way Iholong to sell. In the market they purchase only small amounts of grain, salt, soap and oil, because if they try to purchase larger amounts, much Surrounding hillsides of it will reportedly be taken at the checkpoints as they leave. Due Minimal or no access to this, the women have to make the journey frequently, as often as every other week, in order to restock on these basic goods; this is not Restricted or limited access possible for those living further away. Sufficient or minimally restricted access Community leaders reported that staple goods can also be purchased Communities further in the hills, including Iholong, appear to be from travelling salespeople. Women from Torit town will occassionally most affected by food insecurity. Though more wild food is available, walk into southern Torit County with salt, soap and oil, selling it along opportunities for cultivation are limited by the terrain, and travel to the the way. Then they continue south over the Imatong Mountains into market in Torit town is even more arduous. This is reflected in their southeast Magwi County where they purchase fruits and vegetables higher rates of malnutrition. from Uganda, which they carry back to Torit town for sale. These sales Health, Education and Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) provide some relief from the need to walk into Torit town, but do not supply enough food to reduce hunger in the area. There are no active services in southern Torit County. Medicines are available for purchase in Torit town, but FGD respondents reported Assessed Malnutrition that these are confiscated when crossing the checkpoint. A dispensary The World Health Organization defines population-level malnutrition and a primary school in Gunyoro have not been functioning since their of children aged 6 to 59 months of age as the combined percentage roofs were destroyed by fighting in 1983. of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition Community leaders reported that there are no functioning boreholes (MAM) cases; this is called the Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate. in the area. A few broken ones remain, although none were observed If measured using Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC), a GAM during the assessment so it is unclear if they can be rehabilitated. value of more than 10% indicates a critical phase of malnutrition, and There are no latrines in the area, except for those at Gunyoro’s 1 over 17% indicates an extremely critical phase . As the screenings in abandoned school building; however, no trace of open defecation Gunyoro and Iholong were non-representative of the entire population was observed. A perennial steam flows through the valley, but when in the area, rates are considered “proxy”. people are in hiding in the hills, they can only access water through Levels of malnutrition of screened children in southern Torit County seasonal streams that are easily contaminated by effluent. are close to or beyond the extremely critical phase. In Gunyoro, 491 Conclusion children were screened by UNICEF using MUAC, finding a proxy GAM prevalence of 14.3% and a proxy SAM prevalence of 2.2%. The people living in Southern Torit County were found to be in a Assessment in Iholong was cut short due to insecurity, but in the precarious situation, given the risks of continued conflict and repeated time before evacuation, the UNICEF team was able to screen 109 displacement. Food insecurity is expected to increase, because children using MUAC, finding a proxy GAM prevalence of 25.7% and a growing population is relying on limited resources. This already a proxy SAM prevalence of 9.2%. After the UNICEF/WFP team was severe situation has been seriously exacerbated by the disruption evacuated from Iholong, trained community volunteers continued with of cultivation throughout 2017. With minimal market access and no the screening; their findings, though unverified, suggest even higher services, this population has very limited options for food access. malnutrition prevalence. There is a severe lack of information about communities living further Seasonality and change over time should both also be considered. south, deeper in the Imatong Mountains. If the malnutrition rates in As these assessments were performed just after what is typically the Iholong are any indication of the conditions in these more remote harvest period, severity should be expected to worsen in the coming villages, the situation may be dire. Unhindered access for additional months. assessment is critically needed. 2 Table 2: Proxy malnutrition rates of screened children Endnotes Location Proxy SAM Proxy GAM 1 IPC Global Partners. 2016. Addendum to IPC Technical Manual Version 2.0: IPC Tools and Procedures for Classification of Acute Malnutrition. Rome. Gunyoro 2.2% 14.3% 2 Nutrition prevalence based on MUAC screening of children aged 6-59 months by UNICEF and WFP teams and their trained volunteers on 18-19 November 2017 during vulnerability screenings.